


Sound & Silence

by SilverNight88



Series: Constantine Chronicles [3]
Category: Constantine (TV), Hellblazer & Related Fandoms
Genre: Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Guilt, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-17
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-25 19:00:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2632751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverNight88/pseuds/SilverNight88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Constantine and Manny wait for Gary to die.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sound & Silence

Sound & Silence

The sound of Gaz screaming burned in John’s ears, the man was still writhing on the bed as John held his hand. Gaz’s body never stopped moving as Mnemoth ate his way through, trying to escape but unable to get past the bindings that John has carved into his friend’s skin. After Zed had helped him strap Gaz down she had left, John didn’t ask if she was coming back. He had told Chas to stay away; he didn’t want Chas to have to listen to a man being destroyed from the inside. Manny sat across from him; John knew it wouldn't be too much longer now. Manny’s silence echoed John’s own. A man was dying and no words would change that.

The sound of Gaz’s voice was impossibly loud, the pain and anguish that John heard would be permanently etched into his brain. This was worse than hearing that damned bloody record, the voice of the First of the Fallen now sounded like a sweet child singing a schoolyard song compared to listening to Gaz’s voice for the last few days. Manny lifted his golden eyes to John’s just as Gaz’s screaming grew even louder than before. John gripped his friend’s hand tighter. He knew that Gaz was in too much pain to feel it but John needed to hold him. He grip was so tight that his knuckles were white. Manny stood before John, his wings were expanding.

The sound of Gaz’s voice went silent. The man’s body went still. John watched as his friend let out one last breath and then Manny was there pressing a kiss to Gaz’s head right were the bloody carvings were. Then Manny was gone and John was left holding the hand of his dead friend.

The sound of silence was deafening after the last few days of non-stop screaming. For a moment John thought that he was deaf, the room was so quiet. Then he heard a sound like a strangled cry, he looked around wondering where it came from but realized that it was coming from him. He felt the tears that slowly made their way down his cheeks. He felt the hand that he was holding grow cold, he finally let go.

****

The silence that greeted Chas as he opened the door to the mill was not a good sign. He was carrying bags of groceries that he had picked up after he got a text from John that said ‘It’s done’ he knew that John had probably not eaten anything since it started and he was anxious to see him. He closed the door behind him and went to the kitchen where he made as much noise as he possibly could as he put everything away. He hoped that John would hear the sounds and come talk to him but Constantine didn’t appear.

The silence was pressing down on Chas as he walked through the mill looking for John, he found him in his room lying in his bed passed out drunk several empty bottles broken where they had been thrown against the wall and now piles of glass were strewn across the floor. Constantine’s clothes and body was filthy, covered in mud and dirt, so was a shovel that Chas saw lying on the floor where John must have dropped it earlier. Chas knew that if he were to go for a walk in the woods behind the mill he would find a spot of ground where the dirt had been disturbed and the grave of Gaz. Constantine lay on the bed where he was cradling another bottle that was half full, and holding a still lit cigarette that was close to burning John’s fingers. He must not have finished it before passing out.

The silence was broken by the sound of Chas’s boots stepping over broken glass and striding over to John’s side where he plucked the cigarette from John’s fingers and put it out in an overfilled ashtray that sat on a table next to the bed. Then John woke up when Chas lifted him out of bed, the sheets and mattress were soiled with mud. John looked at Chas but Chas didn’t have much to say, after all what does one speak about when their friend killed a man as sure as putting a bullet through his head? John looked away and Chas carried him over the broken glass so that his bare feet would be spared. He then sent John down so that he could stand up, but he threw an arm over his should so that he could steady John as he led him to the bathroom.

****

The silence between the two men was a tangible thing, as John sat on the closed toilet seat while Chas started running the water in the shower. He saw that Chas’s clothes were also covered in the mud that John was covered in. He tried not to think back to earlier when he dug that cold silent grave into the earth. He tried not to think about Gaz’s cold body as he lowered him into the hole he had dug. He tried not to think about the way Gaz’s eyes seemed to stare at John as he began to shovel the dirt back on top of him.

Chas turned to John and started to help him undress, he pulled off John’s tie, then his shirt throwing the dirty clothes down on the bathroom floor. John stood and then he took off his pants and underwear by himself while Chas stood back watching him to make sure that he wasn’t going to stumble or fall from the alcohol. John stepped into the hot shower and he finally began to feel warm again, the cold he felt since Gaz’s death was still there but just harder to feel with the hot water hitting his back. John titled his head back and the water was now washing away the black earth that clung to his hair and body. The water that swirled around John’s feet was dark and dirty, John didn’t have much energy to do much else other than stand there for a long while. Then he reached for the soap and began to clean himself. Through the fogged glass he saw that Chas had already left the bathroom, and john didn’t know how long he was in the shower but when he got out Chas was waiting there in clean clothes and holding a towel open for John.

In silence John wrapped the towel around himself after drying off and followed Chas to his bedroom. He had never been in here before but now he was too tired to look around, he let Chas led him to his bed where Chas pulled the covers down and helped John into bed. As john lay there naked Chas turned around to leave but the sound of John’s voice stopped him. “Stay.” Chas looked back at John but John didn’t say anything else, he could feel a hangover coming on and he was too drained to talk anymore. Chas was silent as he removed his shoes and then pulled back the covers to lie down next to John, he was still fully clothed but he didn’t do anything else.

John moved until he was pressed close to Chas’s side and then he kissed Chas on the lips. It was a short kiss that had too many emotions behind it to understand but as soon as they pulled apart John lay back down with his head on Chas’s broad chest. He felt Chas wrap his arms around John’s bare back.

In silence Constantine listened to the sound of Chas’s heart beating.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Constantine Episode 4 was the best one yet! That Final scene with Gaz, Constantine, and Manny was so perfect and sad that I had to write this.


End file.
